Just to Hear Your Voice
by StarkCrazy007
Summary: Tony may say that he isn't nostalgic, or sentimental; but the sound of Pepper's voice always made him feel at home.


Pepper's bed was empty, and it was cold. Even if she was curled up under every blanket she could, down to the first sheet, there was a coldness inside her. Emptiness. Her eyes glued to the sky outside of the large windows that stretched down the wall of the bedroom. Her eyes then flicked up to a picture of the two of them on the nightstand, in a frame she bought. The two at the beach, Tony's bright smile and his eyes hidden behind aviators, hugging her from behind her lounge chair in the sun, her own smile brighter than the sun and her eyes hidden as well behind her shades. It was just one of those pictures that stayed in her heart forever and would always be her favorite.

Tony had been called off to another mission in Siberia, and he was just as cold. Even by the fire, the team all fast asleep in their cots, also around the fire. Save for Bruce, he had clocked out in the small lab in the hut that he fashioned out of a few tables. Mjolnir sat by the rest of the weapons in the middle of the room, weighing them all down in case a thief in the middle of the night would be stupid enough to try and take something.

Tony pulled his blanket around him and stood, his mind so wide awake. Too awake to attempt to sleep. Eyeing the god that was fast asleep not needing to be so close to the fire, his mouth hanging open and an arm over his eyes. Tony looked back to the hammer, yet again trying to lift it, but nothing. "Forget it" He grumbled to himself and looked for something else to do. Looking to the lab where Bruce was asleep, hunched over on the table with his head on his arms, the blanket still draped over him that Tony laid just over an hour ago. _No, no science. _He couldnt focus. He'd just stir something until all the rods were gone or melted away.

He wanted to hear her voice, but it was so early in the morning there, she wasn't awake. She couldnt be awake, it had to be the dead of night back home.

Pepper couldnt hold out any longer, she picked up her phone and called him, hoping he could answer, and he wasn't still out for what he had to do.

Tony nearly jumped out of his skin as his phone rang, it was quiet and not obnoxious but he picked up right away to prevent anyone from waking up. "Hello" Tony spoke softly.

Her heart melted, she loved when he talked like that. Soft, low, like there was an infant in earshot of being woken up. "Hi Tony"

"Pepper.." He sighed with relief and the sheer happiness of hearing her voice. "Now I know what was keeping me up"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I kept thinking"

"About what?"

"That's the thing, I didn't know"

"You didnt know what you were thinking about?" She giggled.

"Not until you called, I couldn't figure out what was on my mind..I tried working, couldnt stay focused, proving myself against that damn hammer-"

"Oh you're still trying at that?"

"Hush. Then you called..and my mind just shut off and I realized that you were on my mind." He chuckled softly and sat right in front of the fire. "I miss you"

He never did that! Said that first. She nearly cried. "I miss you too baby. Hope you dont mind.. I kind of broke in and stole your bed for tonight with Socks.."

He chuckled, "It's okay, you're keeping it warm for me until I get back?"

"Trying to. It's so cold"

"Its cold here too..and not just weather wise."

"I know.." She stayed silent for a while, hearing the crackling of the fire and his breath, closing her eyes, and it was like he was right there in bed with her, being the big spoon he took so much pride in being. Talking next to her ear. Opening her eyes again she looked out the window. "..Sun's coming up"

"Is it?"

"Mhm.."

"What's it look like? Is it red?"

"No, not really, its yellow this morning."

"Oh, no I'm thinking of another thing I wake up to every morning.." He smirked, "Sometimes I get my girlfriend and the sun mixed up."

"Oh? And what's the cause for the mixup" She blushed.

"Well, they're both beautiful, brighten my day, dry the rain, lights my path, leads me home..And you give me a reason to wake up every day"

Pepper felt her heart hammer in her chest, and it felt as if it would be in her hands at any moment. "You should be a poet"

"You think? Maybe I can crack the 'nothing rhymes with orange"

"Nothing rhymes with Orange Tony.."

"Yet" he scoffed

The two laughed softly, "I should let you go..you have work in a few hours right?"

"I took off...I just miss you too much to focus.." She sighed, "But you should get some sleep Tony"

Neither of them wanted to say goodbye, or hang up. But they started feeling tired. Tony had already moved back to his bed, directly across from the fire, his back to the team and the flames.

"I dont wanna sleep..that means I wont hear your voice." He admitted.

Pepper yawned and Tony smirked, "You're tired."

"Am not"

"Yeah okay"

Some silence passed again before Tony spoke again. "Pep?"

"Hm?" She rolled over to face his side of the bed.

"Can you sing to me?"

She smiled and sighed.

"Please? In Italian"

"I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go. And help us to be wise in times when we don't this be our prayer, when we lose our way..."

Tony smiled hearing her sing, mouthing the words in italian himself.

"La luce che tu dai..."

God she was beautiful when she spoke Italian. His eyes already closing, and sleep creeping up on him.

"Nel coure restera, A ricordarci che. L'eterna Stella sei..."

[[ Italian translation;

The light you give

Will always be in your heart , to remind us that, you are the eternal star ]]


End file.
